Category: Past Events Published Date
Date: 18 Jul 2008
Title: MUSLIMS UNDER NON-MUSLIM RULE - A CLASSICAL FATWA
Speakers: Prof. Yahya Michot
Event Details:
The US govt. 9/11 Commission Report names theologian-activist Ibn Taymiyya (died 699 years ago) as wellspring of modern Islamist militancy, esp. its al-Qaeda brand. This talk presents a translation of Ibn Taymiyya's fatwas on how Muslims must act under the rule of non-Muslims. It shows the misreading of Ibn Taymiyya by neo-Orientalist scholars and by certain violent extremists. In theory and practice Ibn Taymiyya, advocated force only against foreign invaders; he forbade use of force against established authorities; he himself died in prison for outspoken criticism of the State, without resort to force or sedition of any kind.
About the Author
Prof. Yahya Michot is the Western academic world's leading authority on Avicenna and Ibn Taymiyya. He is currently Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, Lecturer in theology, University of Oxford. Author (mostly in French) of scores of works.